Thieves World 5 – The Face of Chaos by Asprin, Robert

no one to stop him.

She would find him if she wished. He was sure of that. There was a long list of

those who might be interested to find him – but he walked the street past the

bridge by daylight in the town. Traffic had begun, if late. There were walkers

on the street, folk with unhappy, hunted looks.

‘Vis,’ someone said. He heard rapid steps. His heart turned in him as he looked

back and saw a man of the garrison. ‘Vis, is it?’

He thought of his sword, but daytime, on the streets – even in Sanctuary – was

no time or place for that kind of craziness. He struck an easy stance, impatient

attention, nodded to the man.

‘Got a message,’ the soldier said. ‘Captain wants to see you. Mind?’

THE ART OF ALLIANCE

Robert Lynn Asprin

A large blackbird perched on the awning of the small jeweller’s shop, its head

cocked to fix the approaching trio with an unblinking eye, as if it knew of the

drama about to unfold.

‘There it is. Bantu, just like I told you. I’m sure it wasn’t there last week.’

The leader of the group nodded curtly, never taking his eyes from the small

symbol scratched on one of the awning posts. It was a simple design: a

horizontal line curved downward at the left, with a small circle at its lower

right end. No rune or letter of any known alphabet matched it, yet it spoke

volumes to those in the know.

‘Not last week,’ Bantu said, his jaw muscles tightening, ‘and not next week.

Come on.’

The three were so intent on their mission within that they failed to note the

loiterer across the street, who regarded them with much the same careful